


....that's what i said, isn't it?

by karasunovolleygays



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Ficlet Collection, Individual tags to be added in chapter notes, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:13:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24433375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karasunovolleygays/pseuds/karasunovolleygays
Summary: This is a collection of IwaDai ficlets 1000 words or less, based on the dialogue prompts featured inthis post.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Sawamura Daichi
Comments: 34
Kudos: 52





	1. “It’s really not that complicated.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is my participation in the HQ Writers Discord Server's ficlet challenge.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're both being weird, and only one of them knows why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tags: Aged Up, Light Alcohol Consumption

Daichi paces at the bus stop, ready to fly out of his skin waiting for the bus to keep him from being later than he is already. He could’ve taken the line that goes through half an hour earlier, but in true dipshit fashion, he wasted that time choosing between the three nicest pair of jeans he owns and the handful of shirts he’s never sweated in.

Why it’s even an issue, he has no idea. He’s just going to meet Hajime to catch a baseball game. But since when has anything with Hajime been a minor occurrence? 

When the bus finally arrives at the depot near the baseball stadium, and he sees Hajime leaning against a lamp post idly thumbing through his phone. Daichi’s brisk approach doesn’t go unnoticed, and he catches a teasing smile over the top of Hajime’s phone. 

“Took ya long enough, Sawamura.” Hajime slips his phone into his pocket and raises a brow, eyes drifting down at Daichi’s attire. “When did you start wearing douchebag jeans?”

Daichi reddens and averts his gaze. “My mom picked them out,” he lies. “They’re just jeans, dude.”

Hajime bumps his shoulder against Daichi’s. “Just screwing with you. You kind of look like an Instagram hipster, but like . . . better.” A stray peek at Hajime reveals that his cheeks are pinkening, as well. His own smirk is met with a cry of, “Hey, you know what I mean.”

“Apparently that I’m a douchebag.” Daichi guffaws and nods toward the stadium, which lies half a kilometer from the bus stop. “We should go before the beer line gets long.”

Unusual silence crackling between them, as they traverse the stadium. Daichi wonders if it’s because Hajime mentioned his clothes for the first time since they’ve known each other, or maybe it was the hint of a compliment slipped in afterwards. At the thought, Daichi almost drops the plastic cup in his hand, the foam burgeoning over the lip sloshing onto his hand.

“What, did you get a head start?” Hajime remarks, eyes glued to the beer dripping from Daichi’s grip. “Sorry, dude, didn’t bring a sippy cup.”

“Yeah, yeah.” 

The two of them filter into their seats, and the familiar throb of activity one expects from a live sporting event takes over. Nervous looks are eclipsed by raucous cheers for the home team, which gives the visiting NPB top team from Hokkaido a rare pasting. 

There were smiles all around as the spectators flow from the stadium on the coattails of a win. Under his breath, Hajime hums the song played on the loudspeakers after a home run, the fly ball he had caught in the sixth inning turning around in his hand.

Once they hit the front walk, Hajime steps to a halt and Daichi nearly plows into him, his mind thoroughly glued to the strange moment from earlier. 

“Hey, uh, can we take a walk?” Hajime asks, and when Daichi nods, they divert their course to the municipal park across the street. Halfway through the walking track, Hajime tugs them both to a stop. “Hey, uh, I have to say something. You might not like it, but it’s driving me nuts not telling you.”

A thousand thoughts rush through Daichi’s head, and he squares himself for the worst. Hajime doesn’t like hanging out with him anymore. Hajime thinks he dresses like an asshole. Hajime has a girlfriend and they won’t spend much time together anymore.

“— you even listening to me?”

Daichi shakes his head, realizing he missed whatever Hajime is so desperate to impart. “Shit, I’m sorry. I guess I zoned out.” He pastes a smile on his lips and adds half an octave higher than usual, “Maybe from the top?”

Hajime’s face melts into a frown, and he shakes his head. “You know what? Forget it. This was a bad idea.” He turns and stalks off toward the street, and Daichi scrambles to follow.

“Hey, slow down!” 

Finally, Hajime comes to a stop, his arms wrapped around his torso, and Daichi knows he didn’t stop because Daichi had asked. “You’re being kinda weird,” Daichi blurts, cringing as the words slip from his mouth. “Fuck, that didn’t come out right.” 

“Yeah, it did.” Hajime bounces on the balls of his feet, fingers flexing once again on the ball in his hand. “I just . . . want you to know I’m giving you shit about what you’re wearing because I —“ He takes a deep breath. “I can’t stop looking at you.”

Daichi blinks, rubbing his temple as if to massage the meaning into his brain. “Uh, I don’t get it.” 

Hajime harrumphs. “It’s really not that complicated. I’m trying to tell you I like you, you dumbass.”

“Oh.” Now it sinks in. “Oh!” Hajime turns around with wide eyes and a pinched expression, and Daichi’s stomach lurches. Every word looms like a landmine, so before he ruins what is easily his most rewarding relationship since leaving high school, he asks, “You mean ‘like’ like, or ‘you’re a good pal’ like?”

Hajime takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. “Daichi, you’re so cute when you’re stupid.”

Agape, Daichi stares at Hajime even as a smile threatens at the corners of his mouth. A wicked grin slips into place. “You think I look hot in these jeans, dontcha?” Daichi saunters over and grabs Hajime by the hips and pulls him closer. “I can dig it.”

“Shut up and kiss me, you jackass.” 

Daichi grazes his mouth against Hajime’s and revels in the sensation that bubbles in his belly, which accelerates when Hajime crushes them together despite the sheen of sweat from walking in the blazing sun.

They peel apart, and Hajime feathers a kiss to the tip of Daichi’s nose. “You, uh, wanna go make out like teenagers for a while?”

“Oh hell yeah,” Daichi agrees, and the two of them take off at a brisk jog toward the curb for a taxi neither of them are going to regret springing for.


	2. “Close the door.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hajime and Daichi moved into their new apartment the right way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: M  
> Tags: Oral Sex, Established Relationship

A loud yawn rattled out of Hajime’s chest as he dropped yet another box inside their new apartment, still hollow save for the first wave of their belongings. “Holy shit, I am tired,” he groaned, attempting to grind the sleep from his eyes with the heels of his hands. 

“‘Salmost over,” Daichi murmured while sagged over the arm of the couch. “My everything hurts. Why did we pack so much stuff in the truck?”

“‘The more we put in, the faster the move will be’ I believe are your exact words.” Hajime twisted his torso until he was rewarded with a relieving  _ crack. _ “I told you we should make the loads lighter this late, but what do I know?”

Daichi blew a raspberry and pushed himself upright. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s just get this over with.”

It took a few more laps, but finally the last box crammed into Daichi’s car was safely stowed inside. Hajime made it up the stairs first, and he waited with the door open for Daichi to follow suit. 

“Son of a bitch,” Daichi hissed, putting down the awkwardly large box and mopping his face with the bottom hem of his shirt. “Had sweat in my eye.”

Hajime nodded, offering a wooden, “Yeah.” However, his thoughts were lingering nowhere near Daichi’s eyes. His gaze was glued to the toned plane of muscles surrounded by generous hips. 

Daichi called it fat, but every time he caught a glimpse of any of Daichi’s more squishable parts, Hajime could hardly quell the urge to push Daichi onto the nearest flat surface and kiss every glorious inch of him senseless.

“Earth to Iwaizumi,” pierced through Hajime’s thoughts, shaking him away from the heated exchange unfurling in his head. “Don’t tell me ya fell asleep on your feet.”

“Sorry.” Hajime blinked a few times to tune back into reality, but it didn’t take more than a second to snap back into fantasy. 

Daichi had whipped his shirt off completely and was using it to wipe off the well-earned sheen of sweat from his torso. Soft cotton slid down Daichi’s toned arms, around the smooth slope of his shoulder, and finally down the landscape of his chest. 

“Oh fuck.” His heart beating loud in his chest, Hajime stalked out the door, grabbed that last box, and hurled it into the apartment.

Daichi raised a brow and chortled. “I was gonna get it.”

“Yeah, don’t care,” Hajime rasped, licking his lips as his imagination ran wild. “Now get your ass in here. And close the door.” He grabbed Daichi’s wrist and corralled him into the apartment. The moment the door shut behind Daichi, Hajime’s lips descended on Daichi’s. 

All thoughts of his earlier weariness evaporated as Daichi’s hands slid under Hajime’s shirt, work-roughened fingers lighting up every nerve on the way. Hajime’s own grip dragged down Daichi’s chest, not stopping until they rested on the curve of Daichi’s hips.

“Welcome home, Daichi,” Hajime breathed against Daichi’s glistening lips. “I have a housewarming gift for you.”

Eyelids still drooping but for entirely different reasons, Daichi hummed. “Oh?”

Breath shallow and ragged, Hajime sunk to his knees and plucked at the fly of Daichi’s jeans. “Mmm, you bet.” First went the button, then the zipper, and Hajime moaned as the taut expanse of Daichi’s thighs were uncovered. “Fuck, babe, you are way too hot for your own good.”

The denial on Daichi’s tongue was shredded by a low growl when Hajime nuzzled his growing arousal. Their eyes met, and Hajime’s own groin stirred at Daichi’s desire-blown pupils. “Leave everything to me.” 

Daichi gripped the doorknob for dear life, his shaking fist barely keeping him upright once Hajime bared his length and licked a long stripe up the underside.

His eyes met Daichi’s as he pushed the entire length far into the back of his throat. A fist clenched in Hajime’s hair, and their gazes bored into one another as Daichi’s cock plunged into Hajime’s mouth at a frantic clip. 

Daichi nearly collapsed after he came, Hajime’s name the only discernible word in a constant flow of syllables. The only time Hajime took his hands off Daichi’s hips was to wipe the little trail of come from his lips with the back of his wrist. 

Palms running up and down what was certainly one of his favorite parts of his partner, Hajime nuzzled Daichi’s belly. “All the shit’s inside. What do ya say we call it a night?”

“Mmm, I don’t know if I’m tired anymore,” Daichi said, even as he suppressed another yawn. “Okay, I’m tired, but I definitely want to return the favor.”

Hajime shook his head. “Nah, don’t worry about it. I just wanted to make you feel good.”

Carefully lowering himself to his knees as well, Daichi pushed Hajime back until he lay on the floor. Desperate hands made quick work of Hajime’s track bottoms, and Hajime hissed at the ceiling when the wet heat of Daichi’s mouth embraced him.

With his fist working what his lips couldn’t, it didn’t take long for Daichi to do exactly what he set out to do. Both of them drained and sated, Daichi sprawled out on the floor of the genkan next to Hajime. “Oh man, now I can’t move.” 

Hajime shrugged in place and smoothed his palm down Daichi’s side. “Eh, fuck it. I’m game to sleep right here if you are.”

“Our backs are gonna kick our asses tomorrow.”

“Don’t care.” Hajime slipped his arm over Daichi’s chest and settled into his side. “We’ll be suffering anyway. Might as well get something out of it.”

A grin slipped into place as Hajime noticed that Daichi was already asleep.


	3. “It’s three in the morning.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is the cat waking Hajime up at stupid o'clock on a Sunday morning a conspiracy?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: M   
> Tags: Non-explicit sexual activity, Established relationship, Old married couple.

The sensation of a little paw batting at his toes jolts Hajime from sleep, and he bites back a yawn while he glances over at his alarm clock.

“Jesus, it’s three in the morning,” he hisses, limbs heavy as he sits up. “What could you possibly want right now?” Their cat — a large, fluffy all-black one named Fuwa — stares up at him with her bright blue eyes before giving him a soft mew.

Hajime groans as he peels himself out of bed, following Fuwa as she trots toward the kitchen. The source of her distress is quickly apparent; her water bowl sits upside-down on the floor, little glittering streams of wetness leaching from under the rim.

“Ah, Ghost Cat strikes again,” he muses aloud as he picks up the bowl and drops a towel to soak up the mess. 

While he washes out the bowl and refills it, Hajime looks over his shoulder at Fuwa, whose voluminous tail is swaying back and forth on the tiles. “You wouldn’t happen to know how your bowl got flipped upside down, would you?” He extends a hand and she stands on her hind legs to bump her head against his fingers. “Yeah, I thought so.” 

Once the bowl is replaced next to her food dish, Hajime wearily pads back to bed while she happily laps at her ill-gotten goods. When he returns, however, he stops in the doorway. His breath hitches at the sight of his husband sprawled out over the entire bed (including the spot Hajime recently vacated), face down and naked as the day he was born to ward off some of the suffering brought on by a hot summer night.

With a smirk, Hajime saunters over and slaps Daichi’s bare ass, the sound of skin striking skin quickly drowned by a pained yelp and Daichi’s flailing limbs dropping onto the floor. 

Hajime peeks over the side of the bed and wrinkles his nose. “Stay on your own side, dickhead.” 

“I was asleep!” Daichi whines like he usually does when he’s caught encroaching on Hajime’s side of the bed. He frowns and rubs his behind. “God, you hit like Suga. My entire buttcheek is burning.” 

Settling back into bed, wrapped in a newly cooled cotton sheet, Hajime lets out a rattling yawn. “As if you don’t beg me to do that on a regular basis.”

“That’s different!.” The entire mattress shifts while Daichi climbs back into bed, Rather than use the covers, he drapes himself behind Hajime and throws an arm over his waist. He brushes a kiss to the shell of Hajime’s ear while his fingers tease at the waistband of his sleep shorts. “So, uh, now that you woke me up and it isn’t a million degrees outside, how ‘bout I pay you back?”

A grin curving on Hajime’s lips, and he presses his bottom back against Daichi’s lap. “Is that a promise?” he murmurs, covering Daichi’s roving hand with his own and pushing it closer to his groin as it stirs to attention. 

Hajime shivers at the sensation of Daichi’s teeth scraping against the sensitive flesh of his shoulder, while a palm roughened by a lifetime spent in and out of the gym kneads Hajime’s arousal to life. “Mmm, fuck.”

“That’s the plan,” Daichi whispers against Hajime’s shoulder blade. “Why else would I leave my ass hanging out when I know you’re awake?”

Eyes wide, Hajime turns over in Daichi’s embrace and gawks. “What did you do, pay the cat to spike her dish onto the floor?”

“Nah, she just likes me best, so she’s my wingman.” With that, Daichi hikes Hajime’s bulk onto his chest and brings their lips together for a kiss that leaves Hajime warmer than the humid August air. 

Neither of them are under any covers soon after, both of them splayed out with sweat-slicked limbs weighed down by imminent sleep and the lingering effects of bliss. 

The sun is out in full force when Hajime awakens, grateful for a Sunday that has nothing on the docket for him other than a little bit of laundry. Daichi’s side of the bed is empty, but considering the mess he had ended up being after their late night tryst, it’s not a surprise when he hears the shower through the bedroom wall. 

Without bothering hunting down underwear, Hajime drifts toward the bathroom in kind. Barely any steam wafts from the shower cubicle, an unsurprising development considering Daichi’s general aversion to extreme heat.

Hajime pulls open the door and barely stifles a laugh when he spots Daichi’s face squished against the shower wall, jaw slack as he wheezes softly in sleep. 

_ This is almost too easy, _ Hajime thinks as his hand darts out once again to smack Daichi’s ass. 

A split second after contact, Daichi jolts awake, limbs flailing as he seeks the source of the disturbance. In one swift motion, Hajime yanks Daichi out of the shower and scoops his entire disoriented frame into a perfect princess carry. “Fly’s down,” he teases, swallowing Daichi’s protest with a kiss.

They barely make it back to bed before tearing into each other, content not to leave it again for a good long while.

That plan withers and dies when Hajime pushes inside of Daichi, his growl of approval punctuated by the familiar din of Fuwa’s dish hitting the floor. Their gazes meet, and they chuckle in tandem.

“You sure the cat’s your wingman?” Hajime asks before exacting a long, drawling kiss.

Daichi’s legs band around Hajime’s waist and hikes him closer. “Well, I  _ am  _ getting laid twice in six hours.”

“Touché.” Hajime doesn’t question the logic again as they lose themselves in each other once again, and he makes a mental note to put a fresh bag of catnip on their shopping list.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fuwafuwa means fluffy in japanese hehe


	4. “I should have told you a long time ago.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hajime liked roller coasters; Daichi was a little more reluctant. Five seconds into the ride, Hajime found out why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: T  
> Tags: Established Relationship, Mentions of Vomiting

The smell of fried food filled the air, and Hajime inhaled deeply. He wasn’t sure what was better: the heady aroma of amusement park junk food or being hurtled around the air at ridiculous speeds.

_ Definitely the food, _ he marked as he absorbed the sound of Daichi’s pleasured groan beside him, his mouth full of fried takoyaki. With a chuckle, he looped his arm through Daichi’s and leaned into him as they meandered through the rows of food stalls.

However, Hajime dragged them both to a stop when he spotted the main attraction of the entire park: The Twister. Over a kilometer of track climbed impossibly high before hurtling down in a tight, intense corkscrew. The attraction had many nicknames: Vomit Comet, The Blender, and a few other names he could barely conceive of without eliciting a shiver.

“Oh my god I wanna go on that,” Hajime breathed, his blood coursing through his veins at the thought.

Next to him, Daichi frowned. “Why? Didn’t we leave puking our guts out behind with volleyball camp?”

Hajime chortled. “Nah, don’t be a baby. It’s not that bad.” As the words escaped his lips, a teenager staggered out of the coaster’s corralled area and emptied his stomach all over the side of a garbage bin. “Okay, that was bad timing.” 

Daichi’s gaze drifted from the roller coaster to Hajime before he polished off the last of his takoyaki and said with his cheeks puffed out, “Fine, let’s do this.”

While they waited in line, they both pushed their phones and wallets as far down into the recesses of their pockets as they could. That decision was made moments after an iPhone was catapulted from someone’s person in the middle of the downward spiral.

Excitement vibrated all through Hajime when it was their turn to board the ride. It wasn’t until they were both strapped in and the car lurched into motion that he noticed Daichi’s hand trembled on the restraint bar across their laps. “You okay?”

Face white, Daichi screwed his eyes shut. “I should have told you a long time ago, but I’m, uh, kind of afraid of heights.”

“Oh jesus.” Hajime craned his neck to flag down an attendant to get them out before it was too late, but the journey had already begun. “Shit.”

Something lurched in Hajime’s belly that had nothing to do with their rapid takeoff when he saw Daichi’s knuckles turn white as his hand wrapped around the bar with a vise-like grip. Carefully, he pried Daichi’s fingers off the bar and laced them with his own. 

The pressure of Daichi’s hand squeezing his was enough to make Hajime’s eyes bulge in surprise. However, the smooth strokes of his thumb on the back of Daichi’s hand slowly eased that iron grasp. “You’re gonna be okay, babe, I promise.”

Eyes still squeezed shut, Daichi gives Hajime a brief nod. However, Hajime gasped aloud when Daichi’s grip redoubled, his tremulous peace disturbed by the coaster coming to an almost-stop at a crest in the tracks.

“Daichi, look at me,” Hajime said firmly, but with no response. Channeling the no-nonsense tone that had snapped many a kouhai to attention in high school, Hajime repeated, “Look at me.”

Finally, Daichi hinged open one reluctant eyelid, and Hajime listed forward and fastened their lips together. Reflexes honed by years of casual intimacy, Daichi responded to his kiss. This time when Daichi’s eyes fluttered shut, Hajime knew he was okay.

By the time the coaster wound down to a stop, both of them were breathless for reasons having nothing to do with being violently churned around in circles during the tracks’ finale that earned it its nickname. 

What mattered was Daichi’s hand firm and steady wrapped in his, and Hajime may or may not have been jelly-legged exiting the ride for reasons beyond gravity defiance. Once they were free, Hajime bear-hugged Daichi to his chest and buried his face in Daichi’s shoulder. “Say something before we’re bolted into place next time, eh?”

Daichi returned his embrace and rested his chin on Hajime’s shoulder. “Yeah, yeah, it was really stupid not to in retrospect.”

“You’re damn right it was.” Hajime held Daichi a little bit tighter until the ride attendant shepherded them off the platform and back into the throng of curious onlookers. “Crap, everyone is staring at us.”

A laugh bubbled out of Daichi, and the sound made Hajime’s chest tingle. “I guess a grown man having a breakdown on a roller coaster is interesting enough.”

“That’s not what —” Hajime’s reply was interrupted by a little girl, no more than five or six, tugging on Daichi’s hand. 

“Oh, hello.” A warm smile creased Daichi’s face, and even after years together, Hajime couldn’t hide his blush at the sight. Daichi knelt down to meet the little girl’s gaze. “Need some help, kiddo?”

She shook her head, the twin pigtails in her hair bouncing with the motion. “You looked scared. I wanna check on you.”

The smile broadened into a grin. “Yeah, I’m okay. Scary stuff is a lot better when you have someone there to hold your hand.”

“Like my mommy!” she chimed, and Daichi could barely stifle a guffaw. Her attention snapped to Hajime and she planted her tiny fists onto her hips. “You be nice to him when he’s scared.”

Hajime bit his lip to keep from chuckling and clapped a hand over his heart. “I solemnly swear I’ll always be nice to Daichi when he’s scared.”

Her little chin bobbed in approval seconds before her mother rushed over to collect her. “I am so sorry! She just kind of —”

Daichi waved off her concern. “Nah, it’s fine. She’s an upstanding citizen already.” 

As mother and daughter walked away waving, Hajime linked his arm in Daichi’s. “Ever think of having a few of those?”

“You offering?” Daichi quirked a brow.

Hajime lightly elbowed Daichi. “Someone has to ride roller coasters with me.” 

The two of them laughed as they meandered back off into the crowd, going nowhere in particular, but they did it together.


	5. "Why are you helping me?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi had heard of falling for someone, but falling _on_ someone was a new one to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: T  
> Tags: Post-Timeskip canon references, boys are dumb, meet ugly

Daichi dashed sweat from his brow with his sleeve before it had a chance to freeze on his skin. With a sigh, he glared at the pile of boxes at his feet that was dwindling far slower than he would’ve liked. 

Moving in winter was a terrible idea for a variety of reasons, but when a job opportunity cropped up like the one he just accepted, adjustments were to be expected. Nobody would turn down a paid internship with one of the top sports therapists in Miyagi while still in college, and definitely not after making an abrupt career change only two years prior.. 

Both the campus and therapist were on the opposite side of Sendai, so Daichi made the hard decision to relocate. The only apartment he could afford barely qualified as such with how small it was, but it was a ten minute walk from school and five minutes to work.

With a deep breath, he forged on.

It was already getting dark, and Daichi could feel the pavement grow slick under his shoes. His brilliant idea to use boxes scrounged from local businesses rather than the uniform sized ones from the DHL store was starting to sour as he fished out box after awkwardly sized box from the back hatch of his mom’s car.

Three such boxes teetered in his grasp, but as soon as he put his weight on the first step, Daichi knew he was in trouble. The soles of his shoes slid on the new sheen of ice, and wide-eyed he plummeted backward toward the sidewalk. 

Something warm, solid, and full of profanity broke his fall, and once every box he was carrying finished landing on his face, he saw a white track suit-clad leg right next to his face.

Cheeks burning despite the cold, Daichi sprung to his feet and held out a hand to help his unintended victim up. “Oh, shit, are you okay?”

A strong hand with an iron grip accepted his offer of assistance, groaning as Daichi helped him up. Once his counterpart was on his feet, Daichi’s jaw hung slack when he recognized the face. 

“It’s you!” they said in unison.

Across from him, Iwaizumi Hajime ducked his shoulders and chuckled. “I can say without a shadow of a doubt I did  _ not _ expect to bump into you today.”

Daichi snorted at the joke and grinned. “That makes two of us.” He looked at the boxes he had dropped, and his good humor slipped when he saw one of them had burst at the corner, and tufts of clothes poked out of the seam. “Son of a bitch.”

“Moving?” Iwaizumi asked, even as he squatted to help corral Daichi’s belongings. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you winter is a terrible time to move?”

“Ha!” Daichi sighed. “I know it is, but something came up and it was the best thing to do.” He launched into the story of his new internship while Iwaizumi followed him (carefully) up the stairs. In turn, Iwaizumi talked about going to school in California before coming back to break into the industry by working with middle and high school athletes. 

The anecdote was almost finished before Daichi halted and said, “Wait, why are you helping me?”

Iwaizumi shrugged. “Why not?” With that, he plucked another box from the car and started up the stairs. 

“Well all right then.” Daichi followed suit, and before long, the car was emptied. 

Daichi offered a handshake to Iwaizumi. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the help.” The gesture was received and reciprocated — far longer than a normal handshake. A blush bloomed on both their faces, and both hands snapped away at once. “Sorry. Apparently I’m a dumbass when I’m tired.”

Snorting, Iwaizumi replied, “Better than being a dumbass all the time.” Both of them laugh at that, only interrupted by Daichi’s belly loudly protesting skipping lunch and being late with dinner.

“Well I guess my work isn’t done for the night.” He patted his belly and flashed a sheepish smile. “Gotta feed the beast.”

“Been there done that.” Iwaizumi pointed down the street with his thumb and said, “You know, there’s a great ramen place on this block. If you’re new to the area, get to know it well. The food is cheap and kind of god tier.”

An idea spurred to life in Daichi’s mind. “I don’t suppose you want to join me. My treat for knocking you over and stuff.”

Iwaizumi’s smile was wide and radiant, and Daichi’s belly knotted tight for reasons having nothing to do with hunger. “I’d like that.”

Two hours and way too much food later, the two of them staggered out of the restaurant. Iwaizumi was in the middle of describing how he took a picture and started a selfie war between a few mutual acquaintances. Daichi was rapt by the story, recalling those halcyon years when they all did stupid stuff like that and loved every second. 

Too soon, they ended up at Daichi’s front step. “Well, uh, here we are.”

“Yep.” Iwaizumi shoved his hands in his jacket pockets and nodded. “This is where you get off.” He blanched and blurted, “That’s  _ not _ what I meant.”

Daichi threw his head back and laughed. “You’re all right, you know that?”

“You’re not so bad yourself.” He pulled out his phone and flicked through a few screens before he held it out to Daichi. “I don’t suppose I can get your number in case you wanna, like, hang out and stuff.” His cheeks burned brightly at the request.

Daichi was just as flushed but he accepted the offer and said, “I’d like that a lot.”

Numbers traded, Iwaizumi walks off into the distance, casting several looks over his shoulder before he was out of sight, and Daichi lingered at the base of the stairs long after that. He didn’t expect to be fast friends with an old rival, but he had a feeling Iwaizumi was the exception to a lot of rules.


	6. “You have to leave right now.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hajime was going on a long business trip, and Daichi put on a brave face to help him leave with peace of mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: T  
> Tags: Established Relationship, Future Fic, Old Married Couple, Off-Hand Mention of Naughty Pictures

Daichi trudged through the apartment with Hajime’s suitcase in tow while its owner jammed his limbs into the suit he had laid out for his trip. Here and there, a stray yelp would emanate from their bedroom when something or another landed where it wasn’t supposed to.

One might have thought Daichi would have been used to Hajime’s allergy to an early start by this point, but compared to his own failings in that area, he had little room to point fingers. Shrugging off the thought, he carried Hajime’s suitcase to the car so at least something would happen on schedule.

When he returned to the apartment, Hajime was in the kitchen with a pastry clenched between his teeth while he fumbled with his tie. “Don’t choke, babe,” Daichi chided, though he didn’t have room to talk as the exact kind of idiot who walks around the house with his toothbrush in his mouth.

Hajime grunted something around his breakfast, which Daichi loosely translated to ‘kiss my ass’. Chuckling, he waved over his shoulder and said, “I’ll be in the car.” Finally, twenty minutes after they had originally intended to leave, the car takes off a hair over the speed limit to keep Hajime from missing his flight. 

Heading off to a sports medicine conference in Los Angeles, Hajime was slated to be gone for two entire weeks. For as long as they had been together — going on twelve years — the longest they had ever been away from each other was five days: the standard length of a school volleyball team camp during Golden Week.

It was an extraordinary opportunity for Hajime’s career, with his longtime mentor Utsui Takeshi securing him a place at the conference with sports science experts who work with professionals and Olympians around the globe. 

That didn’t mean Daichi didn’t feel like he was gonna barf as soon as Hajime went into the airport.

All too soon, the looming silhouette of Sendai International Airport came into view, and Hajime patted himself down to double check he had everything he needed. His eyes flew open in alarm for a moment before he sighed in relief. “Shit, I thought I forgot my phone.”

“Don’t wanna do that,” Daichi murmured as he focused on the myriad of lanes to pick the right one for the airline. 

“How else am I gonna send you dick pics?” Hajime said offhandedly, and he laughed when Daichi accidentally hit the button for the horn at the comment. “Thought that would get your attention.” 

Face flaming, Daichi forced himself to concentrate on the road ahead until he found a spare scrap of curb space near the terminal. “Your suitcase is right behind you,” he chirped half an octave higher than usual. He cleared his throat and added, “Have a safe trip, babe.”

Hajime quirked a brow. “You didn’t think you’d get away that easy did you?” His hand snaked around the back of Daichi’s neck and wrenched him closer. “Where’s my goodbye kiss, Sawamura?”

“Right here.” Daichi listed into Hajime and grabbed whatever the steering wheel and seat belt would allow him to. 

Strong fingers thrust into Daichi’s hair, tugging on the short strands enough to make Daichi growl into Hajime’s mouth. He extracted a sliver of revenge by raking his fingers down Hajime’s inner thigh. 

Daichi ripped his mouth away, breathless. “You have to leave. Right now.”

“Or what?” Hajime smirked, his tongue darting out to course over the swell of his bottom lip.

Eyes straying to the clock on the dash, Daichi said, “Or you’ll miss your flight because it starts boarding in ten minutes.”

“Shit!” The moment snapped, much to Daichi’s chagrin, Hajime bolts out of the car and wangles his suitcase out at the stupidest angle possible, muttering ‘fuck’ over and over all the while.

The ride home was a damn long one alone, and his eyes darted to every departing plane headed east wondering which one Hajime was on. Was Hajime looking out the window, catching a last glimpse of his hometown before he left it again? Did he sit next to someone who talked a lot, his least favorite part of flying?

Did he miss Daichi already?

Their small apartment seemed massive when he returned, crammed full of Hajime’s things but their owner creating a yawning abyss nonetheless. Relieved he didn’t have to work the next day, Daichi flung himself on the bed and let his eyes droop shut. Six in the morning was a terrible time to be awake anyway, especially if one was alone.

As soon as he reawakened, Daichi bound out of the house to burn off his energy and his loneliness. He sweated out a week’s worth of after work beers at the gym before heading for a nearby noodle place to put it all back on.

It was evening before his phone chimed in his pocket, the alert tone one he had saved for Hajime alone, and he walked away from the arcade in the middle of a high school, leaving a gleeful middle schooler to take over his turn. 

_ Made it to the hotel okay. Tired as fuck. Love you. _

The message was simple and just like Hajime — direct and honest. Daichi couldn’t help but smile at his phone, not looking away except to navigate the darkening sidewalks. He sprinted up the stairs to their apartment, and he flung himself onto their bed (on Hajime’s side) and buried himself under the covers, clothes and all.

The phone rang minutes later, and Daichi answered it without looking. “Hey.” 

“Oh good, I didn’t wake you up.” Hajime yawned into the receiver. 

The most inane conversation ever followed, but Daichi loved every second. It was almost like Hajime was home and in the other room, too lazy to get up and start a conversation. 

Daichi squeezed his eyes shut once he ended the call, tunneling deep into the covers with his phone in his hand, just in case Hajime wanted to call again. It was as close as he could get, and for the next couple of weeks, it would be all he had.

But it was enough; it had to be. 


	7. "Just trust me."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hajime gets lost on the opposite side of town, but at least he's not stuck there alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: G  
> Tags: Third Year Middle Schoolers

“Son of a bitch!” Hajime kicked the base of the bus bench, still not sure where the hell he was. The route map wasn’t much help because he wasn’t familiar with this end of Sendai. He was there for a ‘doctor’s appointment’ — a local specialist who could work on his imaginary bad knee and give him tips to take care of it. 

Of course, he had forgotten to screen lock his phone, so the battery died an hour before, so he couldn’t call his mom for a rescue, use Maps to figure out where the fuck he needed to go, or call a taxi. 

Tired, lost, and ready for this debacle to end, Hajime shoved his hands into his pockets and meandered away from the bus stop toward a little convenience store he had walked by a while back. The scent of meat buns had wafted from the open door, and he was almost hungry enough to stab a man.

With as many meat buns as he thought he could eat plus a couple more, Hajime dropped onto a nearby bench and tucked into them, hoping the open air would blow the smell of smoke from his clothes he had picked up from the cashier. Of course his mom would overreact if she smelled it on him, even if she knew in the logical side of her brain that he would never touch a cigarette. After all, he was only fifteen.

Once his meal was completed and he knew he needed to drift back toward the bus stop, since the store clerk had told him the next line across the city wouldn’t come by for another half an hour after this. Instead, however, he crossed his arms on the patio table and buried his face in his arms.

“Hey, uh, you okay?”

Hajime glanced up at the newcomer. Across the table from him sat a kid around his own age, clad in green and white warm-ups not unlike his own from Kitagawa Daiichi. He had dark hair, a round face, and a reassuring smile for a teenager. “Just a little lost,” Hajime admitted. 

“Oh, that sucks.” The other kid sat down and mimicked Hajime’s crossed arms stance. “Where you need to go?”

“Aoba,” Hajime muttered, and he didn’t miss his counterpart’s sharp inhale. 

“Damn, you’re far from home.” He looked back and forth between Hajime and the nearby bus stop before extending a hand. “Sawamura Daichi, but you can just call me Daichi. Everyone else does.” Hajime accepted the proffered gesture and responded in kind, a little weirded out by a stranger calling him by his given name but not enough to ask him to stop.

Daichi nodded toward the bus stop. “You waiting for your ride?”

Hajime nodded. “Unfortunately. I was just here to see a doctor and got turned around a little.”

“Yeah, that happens here on the old end of the city. None of the streets are straight.” Daichi paused and raised a brow. “A doctor? What kind of doctor?”

“Sports medicine.” Hajime groaned and dropped his forehead on the table. “I have a friend who is an idiot with a bad knee who won’t go see a damn doctor, so I kinda lied to my mom and told her I needed to have mine looked at so I could get some tips for taking care of him from the doctor.”

Daichi hummed in acknowledgement. “Ah, tough guy. Well I hope he knows how lucky he is.”

“I promise you he doesn’t.” Hajime’s hands clenched and unclenched at the thought of Tooru, who was no doubt off working too hard and jacking up his knee even more. “I just wanna go home.” Letting out a shuddering breath, Hajime buried his face in his arms and tried not to cry.

A hand — Daichi’s — fell onto his shoulder. “C’mon, follow me.”

Just tired and stupid enough to put his faith in a stranger, Hajime followed Daichi until they reached a set of train tracks and then a factory loading dock along the line. “This train goes from here to a feed mill around your neck of the woods. You can hitch a ride on it if you’re careful.”

“Are you friggin serious?” Hajime eyed the coupling between the cars, attention drawn to the coupling which could tear his legs off if he toppled the wrong way.

Daichi shook his head and laughed. “Nah, not there.” He directed Hajime toward the front of the train, where a passenger car followed close by the engine — no doubt where the engineers put up for the night. On the back was a small, railed gangway. Daichi pointed toward it. “Just hop on there. You’ll be back in Aoba in fifteen minutes.”

The prospect of being home within half an hour was appealing, but he didn’t know enough about the commercial rail lines in the area (namely, nothing) to make an informed decision. But then Daichi climbed onto the car and held out a hand for Hajime to follow. “Just trust me. I’ll even go with you.”

A flash of bravery simmered in Hajime, and he took Daichi’s hand. “I hope you know what you’re doing half as well as you sound like you do.” 

“No sweat. My dad works on this railway. He’s driving the train right now.” Hajime’s eyes widened, and Daichi flashed him a sheepish smile. “Yep, I probably should’ve led with that.”

“Yeah, just a little.” As his incredulity eased, Daichi sat on the floor of the gangway, his legs dangling from between the railing. Hajime followed suit, and in a few minutes, the train started pulling away toward the west part of Sendai.

As soon as Hajime noticed the volleyball team logo on Daichi’s jacket, it was all they talked about until the train finally started slowing down. Daichi talked about going to a school formerly attended by a legendary player who was a small but amazing ace, and Hajime talked about his volleyball scholarship to Aobajousai, a school his family could never have afforded without the tuition being covered.

“And for better or worse, Oikawa’s going there too. I’m not sure if both of us are gonna survive til graduation.”

Daichi laughed while he extricated himself from his seat. “Sounds like quite a guy. You’ll be all right, though.”

“Oh?”

“Well if you’re willing to fake an injury to help him, you’re probably neck deep in it anyway.” Hajime’s face reddened, and Daichi hoisted him to his feet. “Thought so.”

Both of them dismounted, and once again, Daichi offered his hand. “How about we meet up again in the prefectural tournament? Then we’ll see whose school is better.”

“You’re on,” Hajime fired, and he wandered away from the tracks and toward familiar surrounding with a stupid grin plastered to his face.


	8. "I've been waiting a long time."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hajime is at Daichi's mercy in the name of an anniversary surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: E  
> Tags: Pet Play, Anal Plugs, Rimming, Anal Sex, Established Relationships, Thigh-highs, Barebacking

Hajime squirms atop the covers, the soft ropes tied around his wrists and ankles keeping him from moving too far. His cock sits fully erect, bright red from the vibrating ring around the base. 

It might actually drive him insane. 

His whole body aches for friction he can’t muster, yet the moment Daichi had finished binding him to their bed frame, the rat bastard  _ left. _ “Not cool,” Hajime calls out, though he knows Daichi won’t change his plans for their first wedding anniversary.

Finally, when Hajime feels like his dick is going to explode, Daichi saunters into the room and Hajime takes back every complaint. Clad in nothing but lace thigh-high stockings a cat-ear headband, and — oh fuck, is that a  _ tail? _

“I’ve been waiting a long time,” Hajime scolds weakly. “I feel like my dick is about to explode.” 

Daichi rolls his eyes. “You’ll live. Plus, I think you’ll find it’s worth the wait.” Kneeling on the edge of the bed, Daich leans forward until his warm breath dances across the tip of Hajime’s cock. “Can we move on now?”

“Oh god yeah,” Hajime rasps, his eyes screwing tightly shut when Daichi’s lips embrace his length. “Fuck, babe.  _ Fuck,  _ you’re so good to me.”

Hajime opens his eyes just enough to see Daichi staring up at him across the muscled plane of his stomach, mouth full of Hajime’s aching cock. Smacking the back of his head on the pillow as hard as he’s able, Hajime reiterates, “Fuck!”

The scrape of Daichi’s tongue cranks up the sensation from the ring constantly stimulating Hajime’s cock threefold, and when he hollows his cheeks, Hajime can’t help but shiver. He knows it’s hard as hell to come with a cock ring on, but if Daichi keeps this up he’ll find a way around it and blow his wad all the way down Daichi’s hot, wet throat.

Just as he thinks he’s going to do just that, Daichi pulls off Hajime’s length, which slaps against his stomach with a wet  _ plop. _ Hajime whines from the loss until Daichi straddles his waist, affording him a close of look at the tail flowing from Daichi’s bottom. He catches the gleam of a steel plug at the base and thrusts his hips up as far as they’ll go in anticipation. 

A growl tears out of his chest when Daichi’s hand slaps down on his hip, and a finger wags at him over Daichi’s bare shoulder. “Naughty, naughty.”

Hajime screams with his mouth closed and absorbs every tantalizing second of Daichi rutting against his belly at a drawling cadence.His hands are literally tied, and when he comes is completely in Daichi’s control.

On one leisurely stroke, Hajime catches the end of the tail between his teeth and bites down hard, As Daichi pushes forward, the sizable plug slowly frees itself and leaves nothing but the lube drizzling out of Daichi’s gaping hole. 

Profanities course out of Hajime at the sight, though no words can adequately convey how his entire being is full to bursting just knowing how much thought Daichi had put into this night. Voice dry and rusty, he rasps, “C’mere babe. Let me get a taste of you.”

Daichi’s rear backs up until Hajime’s chin tucks between his cheeks, and he tries to show Daichi how much he appreciates the surprise when words have long failed him. 

Ragged breaths fill the room, punctuated by the sound of Hajime’s tongue pushing in and out of Daichi. However, when Daichi’s lips wrap around his cock once again, Hajime can’t do anything but sink his teeth into Daichi’s plump bottom, eliciting a groan of appreciation from Daichi that reverberates throughout his entire body. 

Overcome with emotions he can’t begin to name, Hajime moans, “Lemme see you, babe.” He laments the loss of Daichi’s talented mouth on his dick and the ass just begging for him to fill it up right in front of his face, but when Daichi turns around on his lap, all of that evaporates. 

Instead, his vision is filled with Daichi’s red, drizzling length, the stockings straining against thick thighs, and Daichi biting down hard on his lip as he rubs the head of Hajime’s cock against his entrance. “Oh fuck, babe, you are so beautiful.” 

Daichi grins even through his blush, the sight almost intolerably endearing. “Gimme a kiss, sweetheart.”

Their lips meet, and Hajime can feel his own arousal pulse at the idea of Daichi getting a taste of his own flavor. Their mouths don’t part as Daichi’s free hand guides Hajime’s cock toward his pleading ass.

Powerful thighs gyrate Daichi’s hips, pushing Hajime’s length farther and farther inside until he bottoms out. He reluctantly pulls away from the kiss because he needs Daichi to move faster with every fiber of his being. 

The only thing louder than the lewd slap of Daichi’s ass hitting Hajime’s lap is the breathy moans that pour from Daichi as he bounces on Hajime’s cock. Daichi’s drooling length claps against Hajime’s torso until Daichi knots a tight fist around it. “That’s right, baby,” Hajime croaks. “Fuck yourself on my cock. Fuck yourself hard.”

The lurid command ignites something in Daichi (something Hajime knows well, and the pace quickens. Daichi abandons his own cock in favor of balance, and Hajime desperately craves some way to take its place. “Gimme one of my hands, baby, lemme take care of you.” 

A couple of desperate tugs release the bindings on Hajime’s wrist, and as promised he grips Daichi and matches his blistering pace. Soon Daichi starts to come, and he scrambles to pull off and remove Hajime’s cock ring before he resuming. 

Daichi’s insides shudder around Hajime’s cock, and with the ring gone it only takes seconds for Hajime to spill himself deep inside Daichi with a shout.

Sweating and sated, Daichi droops on Hajime’s chest while limp hands tease at the other hand restraint until it falls free. Right away, Hajime hikes Daichi close for a searing kiss.

“You’re so good to me, baby. How do I deserve you?” Hajime says when he pulls away to catch his breath. 

“‘Cause I love you.” Daichi buries his face in the crook of Hajime’s shoulders, feathering kisses to the soft skin of his neck.

However, Hajime barely notices because the words reverberate through his brain, though  _ him. _ ‘Love’ isn’t a term bandied about to just anyone; it’s reserved for the deepest passions, the most melded of hearts.

“Love you too, Daichi,” Hajime breathes, no doubt in his mind that it’s his only truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I didn't bother editing this down under 1000. It would've been criminal.


	9. "You're in love with her."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi's dog takes a shine to another dog at the park, and Daichi may or may not have taken a shine to her owner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rating: T  
> Tags: Future Fic, Chapter 395 Manga Spoilers, Dog Dads, Fluff

Daichi hums an aimless tune as he and his light brown shiba, Mochi, take a leisurely stroll down the sidewalk, heading for the park a couple of blocks away. It’s a gorgeous spring day, with a picturesque blizzard of sakura petals wafting through the air, leaving a soft, sweet thing in its wake. 

Soon they hit the vast expanse of neatly trimmed grass, and Daichi unclips the leash from Mochi’s collar. With a sharp whistle, Daichi chucks a rope chew toy as far as he can throw it, and Mochi darts off in pursuit. 

After a long, unusually harsh winter of being stuck inside more often than not, both of them have been jonesing for some fresh air.

Half a dozen throws in, Mochi finally starts to wear down, but Daichi gives in to one last pleading look and hurls the chew toy one last time. Mochi bounds off in pursuit, but before he locates it, another shiba (this one black) snatches it out of the air.

“Ah, damn it!” comes a voice in the distance, and a man around Daichi’s own age in board shorts and a t-shirt runs across the field to the black shiba and plucks it from its mouth. “That’s  _ not  _ yours.”

A feeling Daichi understands all too well, a headstrong dog, he jogs over toward the other dog and its owner chuckling the whole way. When he arrives, Mochi has his teeth clenched around one end, and the black one is attached to the other.

“God why are you like this?” Daichi’s counterpart groans. “You act like you don’t have a crapload of stuff to play with at home.” He looks up at Daichi and gives him a sheepish smile. “Sorry, man, I just . . . I apparently can’t train my own dog.”

Daichi’s eyes widen when he catches a good look at the newcomer. Almond-shaped green eyes sit in contrast with sun-kissed skin and framed by tousled hair, and they serve to assemble possibly the most attractive man Daichi has ever met. “Uh, hi,” he blurts, the rest of his words stymied into silence by the observation.

“Hi?” The guy ruffles his dog’s ears before trying to pry it from her jaws. “C’mon, girl, you’re making me look like a total chode.”

The term draws a snort from Daichi, and it devolves in a laugh when the dog relinquishes her hold on the rope and sends her owner falling backwards onto his behind. Grinning, Daichi kneels in front of the gorgeous black shiba. “Hey, little girl. You should be nice to daddy.” He scratches under her chin and she leans into Daichi’s touch, 

“I think she likes you more than she likes me.” He extends a hand to Daichi, who hauls him back to his feet and accepts the greeting. “I’m Hajime. Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi Hajime.” 

Daichi chuckles. “Nice to meet you, Hajime Iwaizumi Iwaizumi Hajime.” He turns his attention back to Hajime’s dog. “And who’s this pretty girl?”

“Her name is Mothra.” At Daichi’s raised brow, Hajime explains, “When I was a kid, I had a dog named Godzilla. He died right before I went to college, so when I got back, I got her and kept up the family line.”

“Cute,” Daichi croaks, hoping Hajime thinks he’s referring to dog names and not the way Hajime grins when Mothra licks his jaw. “Your accent doesn’t sound local.”

Hajime nods. “Yeah, I went to college in California for six years, and I just got back a few months ago. Took me a while before I remembered to speak Japanese everywhere and not English. So yeah, I’m really not an idiot who forgot my name. I’ve just been doing it differently for a while.”

Thus explains the tan in early spring, Daichi muses, but his attention is diverted to Mochi when he drops the toy and noses it toward Mothra. In return, Mothra starts sniffing Mochi and vice versa, their attention solely rapt in each other. “Looks like you’re in love with her.” 

However, both dogs ignore their owners and continue inspecting one another in detail. 

“I think you might be right,” Hajime muses, crossing his arms while watching the pair of shibas exchange scents in greeting. “So what’s your little guy’s name?”

“Mochi.” At the sound of his name, Mochi lets out a happy yip. 

The two dogs chase each other around in the grass, tossing the toy back and forth while they frolic “Well I’ll be damned,” Hajime mutters. “She’s usually afraid of other dogs, but she likes Mochi like they grew up together or something.”

Daichi sighs at the sight of Hajime watching the pups play, hoping the actual cause of his wistfulness is misconstrued. His hopes are quickly dashed when Hajime’s attention snaps back to him. “What was that?”

“Nothing!” It comes out as a yelp, nearly a squeak. Clearing his throat, he added, “i was just thinking if they like each other, maybe we can set up some play dates.”

The word ‘date’ rattles around in Daichi’s skull, and he can barely breathe until Hajime nods and pulls out his phone. “Sure. What’s your number?” After Daichi gives it, his phone chirps to life in his pocket with a text notification. “So what days work for you?”

The question turns the conversation toward their careers, and neither of them realize the time until a chilly breeze courses through the park. “Oh shit, it’s almost dark,” Hajime says, whistling for Mothra. Mochi isn’t far behind, and both dogs are secured by their leashes. 

“C’mon girl, cough it up,” Hajime grumbles when Mothra remains in custody of the chew toy. “That isn’t yours.” 

Daichi laughs and shakes his head. “Nah, it’s okay. If I gave you a gift, I’d hope you would keep it. I’m sure Mochi wants her to have it.”

“Well in that case, maybe she’ll return the favor next time.” Hajime offers a hand once again offers a brisk shake. “It’s been . . . entertaining. I’ll see you later, Daichi. Sawamura. Sawamura-san. Goddamnit, honorifics are gonna kill me.” 

Their grip lingers a little longer than necessary, but Daichi doesn’t mind at all. “Daichi is fine. And yeah, I’ll see ya.” 

As he backs away, Daichi fights off the pang of reluctance and channels his attention to pushing, pulling and/or dragging Mochi back toward the apartment. On the way, he can’t help the flare of anticipation that roils in him when he thinks of Mothra, of Hajime, and their newfound companionship.


End file.
